A$$ whooping for poaching?

[default]

I believe you should look hard to play for organizations that believe in the PROCESS of developing players and teams. Process meaning investing time, energy, and resources on players that show the desire and ability to grow. A couple, not all, of the bigger programs have gone away from that and now look at players or teams as being disposable while they are on the next best thing (poaching). They are past developing and now look for established teams to make a jump to them. The question becomes who is serving who? So keep in mind that if you go to an organization that is always turning over players and teams that you are also disposable to them if they do not get what they need from you. Take the time to decide if you want to be a part of that.

 

[default]

I guess I am a bit old fashioned here but I believe that "poaching" is "unethical coaching". We all work so hard to develop players and then you have a certain class of vultures who choose to try to benefit from the hard work of others rather than coaching up their own players and coaches. I actually had one of the parents from my org. just this past week inform me that one such coach from another org. which I will not mention got a list of all of our players within a certain age group and called each of the players and invited them to their orgs. tryouts. Also found out that the same org. contacted our 10U head coach in February and asked him to come to their org...highly unethical in my opinion!

Whose the org ??

NAME THEM , NAME THEM !!!!

 

[default]

whose the org ??

name them , name them !!!!

Sam was the man....R.I.P.

 

[default]

also, when done properly you do not have to worry about players ...you will have plenty to choose from come tryouts and little holes to fill...

here here

 

[default]

Sam was the man....R.I.P.

Classic...

 

[default]

For whatever reason, I was picturing Gallagher and watermelons...

 

[default]

While living and coaching in Texas I witnessed a lot that I would do and would not do. One thing I talked with our coaching staff about was the need for players and families to want be where they were. We needed to provide an atmosphere that was conducive to this. If we lost a player to another team or coach we would gather all the information possible to determine if there was something we should be doing differently to better our coaching, instruction etc. If we were not willing to make any changes then we knew comparable players/personalities and such in the future would not in all probability stay with our team and we tried to avoid the situation with better selection of families and players. Not a catch all by any means. but it worked or we felt it worked for us.

We actually encouraged players to tryout with as many teams as possible and make their choice afterwards. Yes I am aware we certainly lost some by doing that. However our turnover rate was very very small. I can not ever remember any of our coaches calling players or parents on other teams during the season or at seasons end. We did have multiple players/parents contacting us. This question was always asked "Why are you looking to leave?" followed by "Do you mind if we contact your coach?"

We always advertised when tryouts were needed, or needing one two players etc. Never called and asked a player to come tryout. Everyone knew where the revolving player doors were located but guess what? There were always plenty of parents escorting their daughter to see if they could make the grade and hang on as long as they could. Some did some did not.

As far as "poaching" goes I guess I would consider this to be " attracting players away from a team at any time not during tryout season"

It is a difficult situation to go through but I would try not to let it show. I would focus on what went wrong if anything. Sometimes nothing beside a players choice can stop this from happening. The world we live in is evil and corrupt. The fastpitch world is not exempt from this. Not saying this is evil or corrupt just saying. Ethical? Moral? Please see evil and corrupt. After all, the leader of this country states that the truth is relative.

More times than not if a Scholar and a Fool get into an argument in the street, a passer by does not know the difference between the two.

 

[default]

I blame the big leagues . Nobody stays with one team anymore there is no loyalty in sports and our kids (and parents) see that and it has become normal.

 

[default]

While living and coaching in Texas I witnessed a lot that I would do and would not do. One thing I talked with our coaching staff about was the need for players and families to want be where they were. We needed to provide an atmosphere that was conducive to this. If we lost a player to another team or coach we would gather all the information possible to determine if there was something we should be doing differently to better our coaching, instruction etc. If we were not willing to make any changes then we knew comparable players/personalities and such in the future would not in all probability stay with our team and we tried to avoid the situation with better selection of families and players. Not a catch all by any means. but it worked or we felt it worked for us.

We actually encouraged players to tryout with as many teams as possible and make their choice afterwards. Yes I am aware we certainly lost some by doing that. However our turnover rate was very very small. I can not ever remember any of our coaches calling players or parents on other teams during the season or at seasons end. We did have multiple players/parents contacting us. This question was always asked "Why are you looking to leave?" followed by "Do you mind if we contact your coach?"

We always advertised when tryouts were needed, or needing one two players etc. Never called and asked a player to come tryout. Everyone knew where the revolving player doors were located but guess what? There were always plenty of parents escorting their daughter to see if they could make the grade and hang on as long as they could. Some did some did not.

As far as "poaching" goes I guess I would consider this to be " attracting players away from a team at any time not during tryout season"

It is a difficult situation to go through but I would try not to let it show. I would focus on what went wrong if anything. Sometimes nothing beside a players choice can stop this from happening. The world we live in is evil and corrupt. The fastpitch world is not exempt from this. Not saying this is evil or corrupt just saying. Ethical? Moral? Please see evil and corrupt. After all, the leader of this country states that the truth is relative.

More times than not if a Scholar and a Fool get into an argument in the street, a passer by does not know the difference between the two.

I love this response.

Analyze what you are doing as a team/coach/org and then decide if you want to do what is necessary to keep that type of player. Often the answer is no. Every team can be a top 10 team on the field. It is just a fact. Maybe you are feeding a local HS, maybe you just love the teaching, maybe you want to keep in local and inexpensive. The point is that you have to decide what you are all about and understand what you can expect from players and parents.

 

[default]

I love this response.

Analyze what you are doing as a team/coach/org and then decide if you want to do what is necessary to keep that type of player. Often the answer is no. Every team can be a top 10 team on the field. It is just a fact. Maybe you are feeding a local HS, maybe you just love the teaching, maybe you want to keep in local and inexpensive. The point is that you have to decide what you are all about and understand what you can expect from players and parents.

Absolutely.

I think one of the things that makes this sport great is it is big enough for every player to have a place to play. Depending on skill level you have recreational all the way up to professional level. Each player grows and matures at different rates. A difficult challenge especially at the younger ages is you may have for instance, two ten year old players one may be developed ahead of peers that includes mental development and physical ability. The other may be behind in one area or the other or both. Providing an atmosphere to teach,instruct and challenge all players sometimes is difficult. It can be easy to overlook this situation or miss it all together and write one off or not provide or challenge advanced skilled player and lose the further developed player to a team that has skill level equal or greater to your advanced player. Some coaches look for this and offer what one coach may have not provided. When goals and aspirations are the same more than likely if a road map is provided and actions or results lead to this being successful or lead to be in position to be successful, most things work out. No always but the opportunity is there for it to be.

The reference to finding out what you are about I feel is very crucial. As coaches I feel we need to coach with in who we are. When we try to go outside of that players pick up on it and obviously parents do as well. We are who we are. Stay with in that and focus on the things we can control and not be too consumed with what we can not.

 

[default]

I didn't read all of the posts. Are we talking about girls softball and presumably a coach or dd's dad getting their a** whooped........over girls softball? I know it's competitive, but man....if that happened thats absolutely heartbreaking. For all involved. If that did happen all parties involved need to seek a psychiatric help and examine their life's priorities......or just get a job!!!